Rezko gavel-to-gavel: Week 1

The Tony Rezko corruption trial finally got down to the substance Thursday, with opening statements and the first witness testimony making it abundantly clear why this is likely to be an uncomfortable case for Gov. Rod Blagojevich as well as Rezko.

Prosecutors made every attempt to show that it was Rezko's relationship and influence with the governor that gave him the secret power to try to force investment firms to cough up bogus finder's fees or campaign contributions if they wanted to do business with the state.

The government's first witnesses brought the case inside the Blagojevich administration, showing that Rezko was able to attend key planning meetings with the governor and appear at job interviews for those seeking top Cabinet posts. It was his fundraising prowess that gave him such access, prosecutors contend, and showed the jury fundraising statistics that listed Rezko as Blagojevich's second biggest money collector.

Prosecutors said Rezko stole from the hard-earned pension funds of thousands of Illinois teachers, but Rezko lawyer Joseph Duffy said his client had done nothing wrong and was the real victim in the case. Duffy said any scheming was the invention of the government's key witness, a drug-abusing businessman named Stuart Levine, who liberally dropped Rezko's name to make it appear Levine had clout with the Blagojevich administration.

The second government witness was an FBI analyst who said his computer review of Gov. Rod Blagojevich's campaign records tied Rezko to more than $1.4 million in fundraising activity. That figure is nearly three times what Rezko had publicly acknowledged raising on behalf of the governor.

The testimony from FBI Agent Charles Willenborg was part of an early government effort to demonstrate the close ties between Rezko and Blagojevich.

Susan Lichtenstein, former general counsel to Blagojevich, also testified this afternoon, telling the jury that Rezko was present at her interview for her job as the governor's top lawyer.

After she was hired in 2003, Lichtenstein testified, Rezko typically attended periodic strategy sessions held by Blagojevich with key staffers on a variety of topics and issues. Also in attendance were Chief of Staff Lon Monk, the governor's press secretary, the deputy governor and Chris Kelly, then Blagojevich's fundraising chief.

Prosecutors have highlighted the fact that Rezko had no official position in state government yet had extraordinary access to Blagojevich.

Rezko's attorneys had a chance to question Lichtenstein before the judge concluded for the day.William Ziegelmueller, one of Rezko's lawyers, asked Lichtenstein about appointments to state boards and commissions. The government contends Rezko played a key role in the appointments.

Ziegelmueller asked Lichtenstein about detailed questionnaires that went out to recommended candidates for open board seats, trying to show that Rezko couldn't just wave a wand and get whomever he wanted to be accepted to a post.

In addition, there was a vetting process, Lichtenstein said. "There were law firms involved with that, yes," she told the jury.

Judge St. Eve halted the first day of testimony just before 5 p.m., asking the jury to return at 9:15 a.m. on Monday.

There's a time change this weekend, she reminded jurors. "Don't forget to turn your clocks forward," St. Eve said.

Defense shifts focus to other fundraiserMarch 6, 2008; 4:31 p.m.

William Ziegelmueller, one of Rezko's lawyers, has begun his cross-examination of Kelly Glynn, focusing attention on Chris Kelly as a top fundraiser.

Glynn agreed Chris Kelly was a "bundler of bundlers" and was key to the fundraising efforts.

"He was just sort of known as the person who was bringing in all the money," Glynn said.Blagojevich appeared at all the events organized by his fundraising staff, including lunches and cocktail parties, Glynn testified.

Glynn was asked if Rezko attended all of the governor's fundraising events.

"Not to my knowledge," she answered.

Rezko has been taking notes through much of the day. As he listened to the questioning of Glynn, he reclined in his chair with his legs crossed, watching as Ziegelmueller showed the jury fundraising documents on an overhead screen.

The government hit at Rezko's ties to Gov. Rod Blagojevich with its first witness, Kelly Glynn, asking her to lay out his role in fundraising for the governor in the 2002 campaign.

Glynn, who was finance director for the campaign, said Rezko held no position but was known to her office.

"He was one of our top bundlers," said Glynn, using a term for someone who brings in campaign contributions from others.

Glynn walked through the structure of the campaign organization, mentioning for the first time in the trial the name of Chris Kelly, long the chief fundraiser for Blagojevich and alleged by the government to be a co-schemer.

Glynn said Republican power broker William Cellini held a fundraising event for Blagojevich, a Democrat, at a suburban hotel. She said she, Kelly and a co-worker would meet at Rezko's office to discuss fundraising strategy.

Glynn testified that Rezko held the first post-election party for the governor at his Wilmette mansion.

1st witness is calledMarch 6, 2008; 2:59 p.m.

Defense lawyer Joe Duffy has finished his opening statement, and the government's first witness, Kelly Glynn, a former Blagojevich campaign finance official, is taking the stand.

Rezko a victim of frustrated witnessMarch 6, 2008; 2:51 p.m.

Defense lawyer Joe Duffy is portraying Antoin "Tony" Rezko as a victim of Stuart Levine, not a schemer who tried to rob state boards blind as the government has alleged.

Rezko was managing a business empire, heavily involved in charities and trying to raise money for a huge commercial and residential development just south of the Loop in 2004 at the time the government alleges he was up to his ears in the kickback scheme, Duffy said.

The point he is trying to make is that Rezko was way too busy to get involved with something like this. Duffy showed the jury slides of the proposed development south of Roosevelt Road.

"This was his dream and how he was hoping to leave his mark on the city," Duffy said.

Duffy also pointed out that Levine was a longtime Republican who strongly backed Gov. Rod Blagojevich's opponent, Jim Ryan, in the 2002 gubernatorial race.

When Blagojevich won, Levine realized "he bet on the wrong horse" and was about to lose his clout, he said.

"Mr. Inside was now on the outside," Duffy said. "His ego could not handle it." So Duffy said Levine started inventing stories about his close ties to Blagojevich and those close to him to keep up the impression of power.

As expected, Antoin "Tony" Rezko's lawyer, Joe Duffy, is trying to put the government's main witness, Stuart Levine, on trial.

Levine was a drugged-out name-dropper who abused Rezko's name to try to scare up kickbacks from firms seeking state business or regulatory approval, Duffy said.

"Mr. Levine probably did not have an honest day of labor in 25 years," Duffy said.

Duffy says Levine started each day with "Special K, and it wasn't the cereal."

That, Duffy said, was the nickname of a powerful hallucinogenic. Levine was also a heavy user of cocaine, crystal meth, Ecstasy.

"He was facing the rest of his life in prison, so what does a con man do, he makes a deal . . . This is the person the government asks you to rely on," Duffy said.

More drama likely after lunchMarch 6, 2008; 1:50 p.m.

Expect a big change in tone after the lunch break, when Rezko lawyer Joe Duffy outlines the defense case. Prosecutor Carrie Hamilton's opening statement this morning was a precise and measured summary of a very complex case. Duffy should be more dramatic.

The government had already laid out its fraud case against Antoin "Tony" Rezko in pretrial filings, and Hamilton did not stray from that script. She did, however, stress to the jury that thousands of teachers and hospital patients across the state could have been harmed by Rezko's alleged rigging of decisions of state boards that invested teacher pensions and made decisions on hospital expansions.

Several times she mentioned the name of Gov. Rod Blagojevich, a close friend of Rezko who also was a major fundraiser for the governor. She did not mention Chris Kelly, another member of Blagojevich's kitchen cabinet who prosecutors allege was involved in some of the kickback schemes they tie to Rezko. Kelly has not been charged in this case but has been charged with tax fraud in a separate case.

She also did not mention Sen. Barack Obama, another Rezko friend. The government alleges that $20,000 in alleged kickbacks arranged by Rezko found its way into Obama's 2004 campaign treasury. The Rezko connection has dogged Obama on the presidential campaign trail in recent weeks and is the reason why the national media is swarming over a court case, which has almost nothing to do with the Illinois senator.

Hamilton told jurors about the government's star witness against Rezko, Highland Park businessman Stuart Levine, who has pleaded guilty to charges that he helped Rezko rig the state boards and scheme to siphon off millions of dollars. Levine has admitted to heavy drug use, and the defense claims that has clouded his memory and led him to invent situations and schemes that never happened.

Prosecutor Carrie Hamilton talks about how Highland Park businessman Stuart Levine is central to the government case and gave a cautionary note.

"Levine is going to give you an inside look into this scheme," she said. "He has pleaded guilty and he expects to go to jail. He's going to admit his own personal financial crimes and his own personal drug use. He's going to explain to you in detail how he abused the trust of the teachers of Illinois."

She mentions a meeting in the spring of 2004 between Antoin "Tony" Rezko and Levine over dinner at the Standard Club, where they allegedly sat down and "divvied up" $7 million in kickbacks.

She said federal agents wiretapped Levine's home phone and recorded numerous conversations that will be played in court. Only a few involved Rezko, but his involvement in alleged kickback schemes is mentioned in many other recorded conversations, she said.

She also explains how William Cellini, a powerful Republican power broker, was also allegedly central to many of the alleged kickback schemes at the Teacher's Retirement System.

Hamilton finished remarks after an hour. She did not mention the name of Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama, whose U.S. Senate campaign in 2004 allegedly was the beneficiary of $20,000 in campaign cash from intermediaries in the kickback schemes the government says were orchestrated by Rezko.

In her opening, prosecutor Carrie Hamilton likened Antoin "Tony" Rezko to a master puppeteer. She said he made sure that Gov. Rod Blagojevich kept Highland Park businessman Stuart Levine on the boards of the Teacher's Retirement System and the Illinois Hospital Facilities Planning Board.

Levine, she said, was the front man, but "Rezko was the man behind the curtain pulling the strings."

Hamilton said that Levine and Rezko worked as a team to "corrupt" the two regulatory panels, siphoning off millions of dollars in finders fees paid to investment firms seeking pension fund business. At the Teacher's Retirement System, which invests billions of dollars in teachers pension funds, Hamilton said the pair made it clear to investment firms seeking pension fund business that "they were going to have to pay to play."

The message, she said, was "no fees, no fund."

U.S. begins opening statementMarch 6, 2008; 11:31 a.m.

Assistant U.S. Atty. Carrie Hamilton has begun the government's opening statement, talking about how teachers and hospital patients across the state put their trust in state boards that regulate teacher pensions and hospital expansion. "The defendant, Tony Rezko, worked with an insider at two state systems to corrupt their decisions," she said.

Trial begins, 2 hours lateMarch 6, 2008; 11:10 a.m.

Jury is finally here at 10:56 a.m., and trial began nearly two hours late. It's doubtful this will be repeated. U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve is such a stickler for promptness that around the courthouse "St. Eve time" has become a synonym for "don't be late."

Trial attracts overflow crowdMarch 6, 2008; 10:42 a.m.

The interest in this politically charged case is so strong that trying to get a seat in the 12th floor courtroom for opening statements proved as hard as it was for doting parents at Christmas time to get their hands on the hot Wii video game system. And the process was pretty much the same as the one Best Buy used to ration its supply of the system.

Reporters and spectators who started lining up more than 90 minutes before the trial's scheduled starting time were handed numbers by court personnel. Promptness counted. The lower numbers got in, but not many. A Tribune editorial writer who snagged No. 22 was turned away, and there were at least six ahead of him who suffered the same fate.

Court personnel said a big contingent of Rezko's relatives showed up and had to be accommodated first.

Rezko's wife, Rita, was among them. As the courtroom was on standby waiting for a tardy juror, an artist for a television station spent the time sketching Rita, and Rita took a moment to give a critique.

"Is that me?" she wondered out loud.

Many of those turned away from the courtroom headed to an overflow room on the 17th floor of the Dirksen Federal Courthouse, where the proceedings are to be piped in on closed-circuit television. The crowd in the overflow included several lawyers, who admitted to taking a kind of busman's holiday.

"I'm here to watch the best and the brightest," said Berve Power, managing partner of Power & Dixon, a Loop law firm. "It's some training up for us."

Phil Carey-Bergren, a 2nd-year law student at DePaul University, showed up to fulfill a course requirement in his trial advocacy class. "I've never seen an opening statement before," said Carey-Bergren, 23, of Naperville.

Also in the overflow was Mary Nitsch, a retired lawyer from New York who recently moved to Chicago with her husband, Gunter.

Nitsch said she viewed watching the trial as part of her mission to soak in the culture of her new home. "We're taking advantage of all Chicago has to offer," she said.

Gunter Nitsch, who moved to the U.S. from Germany decades ago, said he often reads German and French newspapers and they are loaded with stories about the case and its potential implications for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, who has long personal and campaign ties to Rezko.

Cramped quartersMarch 6, 2008; 10:22 a.m.

Reporters from a wide array of news organizations started lining up at 7:30 a.m. to snag one of the scarce courtroom seats for opening statements in the corruption trial of Antoin "Tony" Rezko, an adviser and fundraiser for Gov. Rod Blagojevich. U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald showed up shortly before 9 a.m., when opening statements were supposed to begin.

It's not a big courtroom. District Judge Amy St. Eve chose to keep the proceedings in her regular court rather than move to a larger room in the building sometimes used for high-profile cases. As is the case in federal and Illinois courts, no public cameras are allowed in the courtroom. So let's draw a word picture.

The room is essentially a 40- by 60-foot-high box. Wood paneling, looks like cherry.

There are only eight spectator pews, four on each side. There's room for about 10 people to a pew if they scrunch in. The second pew on the left is reserved for Rezko's wife, Rita, and other relatives. The second pew on the right is reserved for news organizations like the Tribune that regularly cover federal court.

That leaves room for about 60 other spectators. We are expecting a packed house for the first few days of the trial at least. The crowd often tapers off as proceedings stretch on in cases such as this one. It's expected to last at least three months.

To St. Eve's right, the spectator's left, is an American flag. To her left is the witness box. The jury sits to the judge's left, spectators' right.

As you gaze toward the judge, the prosecution team sits at a dark table, about 15 feet long, on the right. Rezko and his defense team are sitting at an identical table on the left. Against the left wall there's another table, which is cluttered with binders. Rezko's defense team used it Wednesday to lay out an assortment of ties for their client to choose from. He is being held in a nearby jail and is not allowed to put on a suit or tie until he gets to court.

Lighting comes from spotlights in the ceiling, pretty much like you might have in your kitchen or family room. Some are incandescent and they throw off a harsher white light. Others are the newer energy-efficient fluorescent models, and they have yellow cast. The General Services Administration, which runs the building, is apparently replacing the old power-wasting incandescents as they burn out.

Juror delays start of trialMarch 6, 2008; 9:11 a.m.Big crowds were waiting well before the scheduled 9 a.m. start of the trial, which was to have featured opening statements from a prosecutor and defense lawyer for Tony Rezko, the confidant of Gov. Rod Blagojevich charged with corruption.

There was a snafu right off the bat.

U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve, a stickler for promptness, told lawyers about 8:50 a.m. that one of the jurors was running late. They had been told to report to the jury room by 8:30 a.m., but St. Eve said the juror called in to say he was running about an hour and a half late.

Though St. Eve won't reveal the identities of the jurors, she described this one as a "he."

She gave lawyers the option of bumping him and replacing him with an alternate, but they decided not to. Stand by.

Rezko rewind. Day 3March 6, 2008; 5:16 a.m.

The jury and alternates were picked Wednesday, the preliminaries dispensed with and everything is now ready for opening statements and the first witnesses on Thursday in the corruption trial of Tony Rezko, the longtime pal and fundraiser for Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve and prosecution and defense lawyers picked the jury out of earshot of the press and public. St. Eve declined to release any information about those who made the cut. She said the 12-member jury and six alternates would be sworn in at 9 a.m. Thursday.

Prosecution and defense lawyers said their opening statements would each take about an hour.

St. Eve said she hoped to get the government's first witness to the stand before lunch. That is expected to be Kelly Glynn, director of Blagojevich's campaign fund during his first successful run for governor in 2002.

The jurors in the Antoin "Tony" Rezko corruption case have been picked, but for the foreseeable future, they'll have to toil in anonymity only to be referred to by the cryptic physical observations we scribbled down during two days of questioning earlier this week.

There was, for example, the red helmet-haired woman, the Wilford Brimley look-alike, the pothole-filling guy and the junk-mail lady.

We may be left to such devices, or not, because U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve has decided that the identities of the jurors will remain shrouded in secrecy for the duration of the three month or more trial of Rezko, a friend and fundraiser of Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

St. Eve questioned prospective jurors in open court earlier this week, but everyone in the pool was referred to by number, not name. On Wednesday, St. Eve and lawyers in the case reduced the pool to 12 regular jurors and six alternates. But they wouldn't say which numbers made the cut and a clerk for St. Eve said she intends to keep it that way.

George Ryan, Blagojevich's predecessor as governor, was convicted in 2006 on corruption charges, but not before jury deliberations were nearly derailed midstream after the Tribune reported two jurors had concealed arrest records during the selection process months earlier. Both jurors were dismissed and replaced by alternates.

Since then, federal judges here have become ever more stingy in releasing information about jurors in high-profile cases. St. Eve appears to have kicked it up a notch in this case, however.

The final jury selection was made in private discussions between the judge and lawyers in a corner of the court and out of earshot of spectators and reporters. Then St. Eve announced from the bench that a jury had been picked, but she gave no further clue as to who made the cut.

It is not unprecedented to carefully shield the identities of jurors, particularly in cases involving organized crime or when the defendant is charged with a violent act. That is not the case with Rezko, who is accused of fraud. Prosecutors contend he misused his clout in the Blagojevich administration to scheme to illegally siphon millions of dollars from a state pension system and a hospital regulatory panel.

Opening statements are scheduled for 9 a.m. Thursday.

Opening arguments to start Thursday morningMarch 5, 2008; 12:39 p.m.

A jury has been picked for the federal corruption trial of Antoin "Tony" Rezko, and U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve set opening statements for 9 a.m. Thursday.

In an unusual move for a public corruption trial, St. Eve did not release any information about the 12 jurors or six alternates.

St. Eve questioned dozens of prospective jurors in open court earlier this week, identifying them only by a number they had been given when assigned to the jury pool earlier this year.

On Wednesday, however, she did not identify which ones made the final cut. Prosecution and defense lawyers declined to answer questions about the jury.

A law clerk for St. Eve said she would not release the court-assigned numbers of the chosen jurors Wednesday and had made no decision whether she would release them at a later time.

Both sides said they expect to take an hour each to present their opening statements, though Joseph Duffy, one of Rezko's lawyers, said after court that he might take less time.

"I don't want to bore the jury," he said.

It's not clear why St. Eve has shrouded the jury in such secrecy, but federal judges here tend to be more closed about jury details since the 2006 corruption trial of former Illinois Gov. George Ryan. That case turned chaotic during jury deliberations after the Tribune reported that two jurors had concealed arrest records during jury selection months earlier. The judge then halted deliberations, dismissed both jurors, added two alternates and ordered deliberations to start anew.

Rezko rewind. Day 2March 5, 2008; 5:14 a.m.

The prelims in the Tony Rezko corruption trial were speeding to a close. Judge Amy St. Eve said the jury would be picked by Wednesday and opening statements and testimony would begin Thursday.

St. Eve finished two days of interviews with 75 prospective jurors and then whittled down the pool to 44, from which prosecution and defense lawyers will settle on their final picks.

Among those who made it through the semifinals are a woman who has suffered a heart attack, stroke and hip problems; a retired CTA mechani;, an Oak Park environmentalist; a former lobbyist for Peoples Gas; a man who fills potholes for the city; and a woman who makes maps.

There is also a mother of two who processes junk mail for a living and said she likes to sleep in her spare time. Another woman remains on the panel despite her plans to fly off for a June vacation in Cancun. There's a chance the trial might not be done by then.

For a full wrap-up of Tuesday's trial events, .

Judge finishes questioning potential jurorsMarch 4, 2008; 4:54 p.m.

Two days of screening prospective jurors to hear the Antoin "Tony " Rezko case has ended with lawyers expecting to make their final cuts Wednesday morning.

The final pool the lawyers will choose from is made up of 44 remaining candidates, U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve said before ending court proceedings Tuesday.

The government will have six pre-emptory challenges and the defense 10 as that group is pared down to a jury of 12. Each side will then have three challenges as six alternates are selected.

Attorneys for both sides said they expect to reach their decisions on whom to cut after morning meetings, meaning the final jury should be selected by around midday Wednesday.

Opening statements are expected Thursday morning.

Juror can't stay away from newsMarch 4, 2008; 2:40 p.m.Each juror questioned over the last two days repeatedly has been warned to stay away from media coverage of the case, but one woman, juror 195, said she just might not be able to resist watching TV news if she wound up on the panel.

Sorry, she said, she just likes to know what is going on.

"But if you're selected as a juror, you'll know what's going on," Judge Amy St. Eve said. Would that kind of front-row seat be enough to satisfy her curiosity?

"No," she answered, drawing a laugh in the courtroom.

"We're looking for honest answers," St. Eve said before moving on.

Most of the questions handled in open court have been about juror's jobs, families and hobbies, and that continued as the pace of questioning picked up after lunch Tuesday.

But St. Eve stayed on her theme of asking some jurors for which Chicago baseball team they pull. In the morning session she mentioned her choice, the Cubs, scored a victory in spring training Monday.Juror 253, who works in budgeting for Nicor, said he is a Sox fan.

"You know they lost yesterday," St. Eve said.

23 potential jurors rejected, judge saysMarch 4, 2008; 1:51 p.m.

Judge Amy St. Eve opened the afternoon session Tuesday by telling lawyers in her courtroom that 23 of the 59 prospective jurors questioned so far have been struck for cause, meaning the judge has determined that they shouldn't serve on the jury for one reason or another.

A number apparently have been let go because their employers would not pay them for their time while serving in a trial that may last three months, while others may have given responses during questioning that raised red flags for the judge or lawyers. That leaves a pool of three dozen jury candidates for the lawyers themselves to cull using their own challenges.

St. Eve is attempting to seat a 12-member jury and six alternates who could hear opening statements as soon as Thursday. She said the afternoon questioning Tuesday of prospective jurors could result in no more needing to be screened Wednesday.

"We're close," she told the lawyers.

Lawyers confer with judge in 'sidebars'March 4, 2008; 12:43 p.m.

Judge Amy St. Eve has punctuated her questioning of jurors with several so-called sidebars as she, the three-member prosecution team and Antoin "Tony" Rezko's two attorneys huddle in a corner of the courtroom poring over what look like information sheets about the jury.

One lengthy sidebar took place before the morning session began. As the judge and lawyers talked, Rezko sat quietly -- and alone -- at the defense table. Today he is wearing a smartly tailored blue-gray suit, one of several from his wardrobe that his defense team has brought to court for him to change into when brought each day from a federal jail in the Loop.

So far, 59 prospective jurors have been interviewed and another 17 are scheduled to be quizzed this afternoon and more tomorrow. Before breaking for lunch, St. Eve told lawyers she would ask them to weigh in later today on how and when they wanted to go about the process of narrowing down the panel to 12 jurors and 6 alternates.

After questioning panelists in open court, some were called individually to the side of the courtroom privately with the judge and lawyers. During one such sidebar, juror 467 began to cry and wipe at her eyes with a tissue. In questioning the woman earlier, St. Eve mentioned that No. 467's sister had been "involved in a tragedy" many years earlier.

Juror 156 identified himself as an employee of the Illinois Department of Transportation whose job is to plow snow in the winter and patch potholes.

"You must be the busiest person in this courtroom," St. Eve told the man. "Can we give you a list?"

St. Eve has questioned many jurors about brushes with the law experienced either by themselves or relatives. Juror No. 174 said her ex-husband had been sentenced to three years probation on a drug charge a few years ago.

"I guess," the divorcee said. "He was my ex."

"Leaving those feeling aside . . ." the judge responded.

Jury selection resumes at 1:15 p.m. after a break for lunch.

Judge shows definite biasMarch 4, 2008; 11:05 a.m.On one key matter at least, it became clear at the Tony Rezko trial today that U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve is not totally impartial. She definitely is a Cubs fan.

St. Eve continued to question prospective jurors and for the second straight day she let her bias--in baseball at least--slip.

When prospective juror 75 said she sometimes watches WGN-TV news in the morning during baseball season to get the Cubs scores, St. Eve quickly made it clear that she had been following spring training games closely. "They won yesterday," the judge told the woman.

On Monday, the first day of jury selection, St. Eve chatted with another prospective juror about the team's prospects for the coming year.

Juries are supposed to represent a wide cross section of citizens, and this jury pool clearly is eclectic. Among prospective jurors being questioned Tuesday morning was a Realtor, a former lobbyist for Peoples Gas and a high school librarian.

The librarian, who works at the University of Chicago Lab School, was asked by the judge whether she could refrain from reading about the case if she were selected to serve on the jury. On a pretrial form, the woman had written that "curiosity and research are essential to my profession."

The woman, prospective juror 81, assured St. Eve that she could curb her curiosity if selected.

Rezko rewind. Day 1March 4, 2008; 5:34 a.m.

Antoin "Tony" Rezko showed up for Day 1 of his political corruption trial dressed and groomed in style, a sharp contrast to the hangdog, unshaven look he has sported since being confined by U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve in late January to a federal jail lockup.

St. Eve questioned 43 prospective jurors yesterday about everything from their hobbies to their commitment to listening to the evidence with no preconceived notions. St. Eve expects to quiz another 40 or so more prospects today and have the 12-member jury and six alternates picked by Wednesday.

She told prosecution and defense lawyers to be ready with opening arguments Thursday, when prosecutors are also expected to present their first witnesses in a case that has rocked the administration of Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Rezko was a fundraiser for the governor and a close friend.

St. Eve also outlined a list of more than 50 prospective witnesses. One surprise: Susan Lichtenstein, Blagojevich's one-time general counsel, who resigned her post abruptly in June 2004 around the same time federal agents were boring in on scandals that led to charges against Rezko and others. For a full wrap up of Monday's trial events, click .

The first day of Antoin "Tony" Rezko's fraud trial was a long one for lawyers who heard from more than 40 prospective jurors -- and was a long one for Rezko himself.

As the attorneys huddled to the side of the bench with U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve late today, Rezko moved the eyeglasses he was wearing to the top of his head and slowly wiped his face with both hands.

Under the guidance of St. Eve, known for keeping a tight schedule, the proceedings ran until well after 5 p.m. She told both sides to return to her courtroom at 8:45 a.m. tomorrow.

The judge didn't announce how many of those questioned today had been cut. Many appeared to be let go because their employers would not pay them for their time during a trial that is expected to last three to four months. One of those who said his boss wouldn't foot the bill works for a law firm.

Rezko's attorneys said they would discuss with him which juror candidates he would like to strike in the morning before selection restarts.

The questioning of prospective jurors is expected to continue at least into Wednesday, St. Eve told the lawyers, with opening statements likely Thursday morning.

Assistant U.S. Atty. Chris Niewoehner said he expects his opening statement to last about an hour, prompting the judge to ask Rezko attorney Joseph J. Duffy how long his might take.

Duffy said he wasn't sure.

"I'm not good at time," he said.

The judge promised she was just looking to get an idea, not set limits.

"I'm not going to cut you off," said St. Eve, prompting Duffy to say he would attempt to keep his statement to about an hour, too.

Judge quizzes state attorney general employeeMarch 3, 2008; 4:32 p.m.

This afternoon, Judge Amy St. Eve began questioning another 17 prospective jurors, including an employee of the Illinois attorney general's office.

Prospective juror No. 9 told the court he is a supervisor in the criminal appeals division in the office, is often in federal court for work matters and is involved in a case pending before St. Eve. The man said he did not know any of the attorneys on the Rezko case and has been careful not to read about the case since being informed he was a potential juror some weeks ago.

Also among those questioned after lunch was a woman whose husband is a commercial developer in Chicago. She said she knows investment manager Richard Driehaus, who was named on the witness list read in court this morning. St. Eve asked whether she would be more apt to believe Driehaus over someone else.

"Well, I like him," she answered.

Another man was asked whether he would hold it against Rezko if he decided not to testify or present any evidence in his defense.

"Consciously, probably not. But subconsciously, I don't know," he answered.

Questions from the judge continued to be of a general nature about prospective jurors, including some of their likes and dislikes, their hobbies and preferences when it comes to TV shows. Most of the substantive information that lawyers and St. Eve hoped to gather came from questionnaires the jurors filled out several weeks ago.

During the questioning, Rezko himself flipped through documents and spoke to his lawyers, sometimes rocking back in his chair or moving a yellow highlighter through his fingers.

His wife, Rita, and several family members were watching the proceedings.

Potential jurors rarely keep up with the newsMarch 3, 2008; 1:20 p.m.

Jurors are always instructed to steer clear of following news coverage of the trial they are involved in, so one standard question that Judge Amy St. Eve has been asking is about their reading and viewing habits when it comes to news.

If the answers were troubling to anyone, it might be the news media, which are suffering a deep business malaise. Most prospective jurors said they read newspapers or watched TV news only sporadically. Few said they had followed news reports of the Rezko case.

Prospective juror 70, a retiree, said she did watch TV news on occasion. St. Eve asked her if there was any particular station she favored. "It depends on which one depresses you more," the woman replied.

Jury selection is set to resume at 2:15 p.m. after a lunch break.

Jury pool member worries about lost incomeMarch 3, 2008; 12:43 p.m.Prospective juror No. 464 said he worked in marketing and was paid on commission.

When Judge Amy St. Eve asked him about whether serving on a jury could prove an economic hardship, she noted that the trial was expected to last 12 to 16 weeks. Testimony would typically run Monday through Thursday and perhaps some Friday mornings, she said. The man said he would lose considerable income if he served.

Another potential juror, No. 475, teaches cooking classes, often on Fridays. St. Eve sounded as if she was ready to work with the cooking teacher to accommodate her schedule. "If we structured the trial so that it would go Mondays through Thursday and not have trial on Fridays, the days you have cooking classes, would that be good for you?" the judge asked.

Some of St. Eve's questions were more chatty than legal. The cooking teacher, for example, was asked what was on the menu at her next class. The answer: Beef Bourguignon and mashed potatoes.

Another juror was asked where she liked to go snowboarding. Still another was asked about her desire to learn Spanish. "Have you learned any words yet?" the judge asked.

"Just the bad things," the woman responded.

St. Eve also complimented No. 475 on an answer the prospective juror gave to a presubmitted question about whether people who contribute to a campaign should expect something in return. "A thank-you would be nice," the woman wrote.

Jury pool member tells of foot ailmentMarch 3, 2008; 11:42 a.m.

Prospective juror No. 450 told U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve she suffers from plantar fasciitis, a painful foot problem, and that sitting for long periods of time would be painful. St. Eve said the woman would be allowed to stretch between witnesses.

"What I need to do is walk," said the woman, who works in the children's department of a bookstore.

Under questioning from St. Eve, No. 450 said she might be inclined to believe evidence elicited from wiretaps in the case. "It just seems if a judge has given permission for it, there must be a reason for that," the woman said.

When St. Eve asked her a standard question about applying the law as instructed, the woman said she might have a problem with that if she disagreed with the instruction. "Maybe I'm just too cynical," she said.

Another prospective juror, No. 451, said she was born in Iraq and did not have a full grasp of English. "I'm not perfect," she told the judge.

When No. 451 was asked if she would give more or less weight to the testimony of a law enforcement officer, she replied, "Less."

Dropping a hint that the opening statements could take place this week, St. Eve told members of the jury panel that those who are picked to hear the case should be prepared to return Wednesday or Thursday.

Judge questions potential jurorsMarch 3, 2008; 11:06 a.m.Before the laborious jury selection process began today, lawyers for Antoin "Tony" Rezko made a last-ditch effort to delay the trial, arguing that they have had difficulty preparing since Rezko's bail was revoked in January. That was when U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve learned he had received a $3.5 million wire transfer from a business associate abroad. St. Eve agreed with prosecutors that Rezko was a flight risk and ordered him confined to a federal jail in the Loop.

St. Eve declined to delay the trial, saying Rezko's lawyers had had enough access to their client. Rezko came into the courtroom escorted by guards. He was clean-shaven and wearing a dark suit and no tie initially. Ties and shoelaces are not permitted at the Metropolitan Correctional Center. His lawyers gave him a tie in the courtroom that can be worn at trial but will have to be removed before he heads back to the jail.

St. Eve said prospective jurors would be brought in for questioning six at a time. She will do most of the questioning.

The prosecution team includes Assistant U.S. Attys. Carrie E. Hamilton, Christopher S. Niewoehner and Reid J. Schar. The defense team is Joseph J. Duffy and William P. Ziegelmueller.

St. Eve called the trial to order at 9:24 a.m. and described for prospective jurors the broad outlines of the case against Rezko.

"The defendant in the case is charged with a scheme of engaging to defraud that involves two state boards," she began.

She also said Rezko was charged with extortion and money laundering and gave the standard admonishments that he was presumed innocent despite the charges.

She then read a long list of witnesses who could testify at the trial, including Highland Park businessman Stuart Levine and former Democratic Party fundraiser Joseph Cari. Both were charged in the same case, pleaded guilty and are cooperating with prosecutors. Another potential witness identified by St. Eve is Susan Lichtenstein, who was the general counsel for Gov. Rod Blagojevich in the early part of his administration. St. Eve said she had prescreened the jury panel in January and that should accelerate the selection process.

Prospective jurors were identified only by numbers, and St. Eve's questions elicited only vague descriptions of their background.

First up was Juror 409, and St. Eve's first question was this: "Are you thinking how on Earth did I get to be first?"

The juror said he had been a contractor who lost his job last year. He also said he had a few minor scrapes with the law a decade ago.

St. Eve complimented one prospective juror on an answer in her questionnaire. "This was written like a true working parent, 'I really don't have a lot of time, but I get things done.' " Juror 410 identified herself as an 8th-grade teacher and St. Eve, who has children of her own, asked the woman what was the greatest challenge teaching 8th graders.

"Their confusion as to whether they are grown-ups or whether they're still children," the woman said. Another prospective juror said he liked to watch courtroom reality shows on TV."You know this may be a little different from those judge shows," St. Eve said.

Jury selection begins todayMarch 3, 2008; 8:08 a.m.Think of it as "All the Governor's Men." That's really at the heart of the government's corruption case against Antoin "Tony" Rezko, and jury selection finally gets under way in the Dirksen Federal Courthouse this morning.

Prosecutors hope to convince a jury that Rezko and others close to Gov. Rod Blagojevich hijacked his reform administration to line their pockets and fill his campaign coffers.

Note to the Obama-centric: Yes, the name of the Democratic presidential front-runner is likely to come up at this trial. Like Blagojevich, Barack Obama was tight with Rezko too. But stay alert. Obama's role in this case should be little more than a cameo. The prosecution spotlight will remain focused on the governor's men.